McCarthy Heart Hat�s employee volunteer group from McCarthy Building Cos. Inc. of Newport Beach recently completed a home makeover for a Los Alamitos family in great need of assistance.

Approximately 30 volunteers from McCarthy Building Cos. and various subcontractors completed a home makeover for a Los Alamitos family in need.

Matt, Elissa and Hailey Horan in front of their home that volunteers from McCarthy Building Cos. and 22 local subcontractors renovated after learning the family needed their assistance.

Over 22 subcontractors donated supplies and services along with McCarthy Heart Hats to conduct the home remodel valued at approximately $80,000.

Long time Los Alamitos residents, Elissa and Matt Horan have experienced a great deal of hardship over the last few years. Matt was diagnosed with Parkinson�s disease three years ago and Elissa was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. She recently completed 12 months of chemotherapy and is now undergoing radiation treatment to fight the cancer. Matt and Elissa have four children�Vanessa, Carrie and Dylan are over 17 years old and Hailey is just 2 years old. Both Carrie and Hailey live with Matt and Elissa.

�The Heart Hats learned about the Horan family from Yvonne Hernandez, the owner of Helping Hands Cleaning, who participates in Cleaning for a Reason (www.cleaningforareason.org), a non-profit cleaning service providing free professional housecleaning, and maid services to improve the lives of women undergoing treatment for cancer,� says McCarthy project secretary Mary Jo VanAlstine. �After hearing about the plight of the Horan family and visiting them, we knew we had to offer some immediate assistance.�

Horan home team leaders Mary Jo, McCarthy secretary Dana Greaney and office manager/director of community services Linda Osborn along with project superintendent Steve Proffitt began soliciting McCarthy volunteers and donations of labor and supplies from their business partners. Within just three weeks, the Heart Hats had obtained over $1,700 in cash donations and enough labor and supplies to provide a significant home makeover.

�When Mary Jo told me about the plans for our home and what she was about to launch, I was flabbergasted and just cried,� says Elissa Horan. �I thought, things like this don�t seem to happen, but still my prayers were answered. To this day, it is still unbelievable.�

Between Feb. 15 and Feb. 26, approximately 30 volunteers worked into the night to finish the home remodel. Some of the Horan�s neighbors even pitched in. The project included a new roof courtesy of Letner Roofing; electrical work by Berg Electric with light fixtures and labor by Briggs Electric; plumbing repairs and installation of new fixtures by Pan Pacific Plumbing; exterior paint by Koller Coatings and new windows for the master bedroom and front bath by Tower Glass. Tammie Smith provided interior design services and donations including tile for the shower and kitchen, furniture and funds for the family....